


Redemption

by InclinedTo_Disagree



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Autistic Entrapta (She-Ra), Disability, F/M, Lab Partners, Multi, Nightmares, Post-Canon, Redemption, Slow Burn, Soft Hordak (She-Ra)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:07:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24493252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InclinedTo_Disagree/pseuds/InclinedTo_Disagree
Summary: Not all things were healed in their entirety after She-Ra acted as the living conduit for Etheria’s magic...A post-canon exploration of Hordak and Entrapta's relationship as it evolves immediately after the finale, on Beast Island, and then beyond.
Relationships: Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 161





	1. Recovery

### Chapter 1: Recovery

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Afterglow *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hours had passed since Horde Prime’s vanquish and Entrapta still had much to discuss with Hordak regarding the year that had passed, especially the incredible technologies that she had tinkered with during her time on Beast Island - she did not notice the pained look that clouded his face for a brief moment. She described how she had built the mechanoid transporter that allowed her to traverse even the depths of the First One’s dumping ground and the temple at the centre!  
_“...and then I saved the Princesses from the pookas! Oh, their hunting strategies were fascinating, coordinating through a mix of audible and supersonic frequencies to lead prey into deadlier zones and scavenging the bodies from the vines..!”_  
She grinned manically, barely taking a breath  
_“And the vines! I forgot to tell you - those were embedded with nano-sized transponders emitting a signal that aligns any living creature’s brainwaves into a depressive state, completely sapping energy and will…”_  
She shook her fists in the air, her eyes glinting, leaning wildly into her hair as a support bringing her to Hordak’s full height. When she looked over at him, she trailed off with a concerned flick of her hair onto his shoulder. His heart rate was elevated, breathing shallow, and his brow knitted.  
_“Are you...okay?”_  
Waving a hand, he attempted to dismiss her concerns but found he was too fatigued to reply. The bitter taste of the reconditioning still hung in his mouth and his head swirled with an emptiness where the hive mind had once whispered and soothed. For a brief moment, grief overtook him and he stared wide-eyed, panting quietly.  
_“How long have you been without your armour? No worries, we can make you another set! Plenty of First One’s tech available now, now that it won’t be needed for the war - and we can get back TO THE SCIENCE! The increase in Etheria’s ambient magic will mean...”_  
He nodded, too weary to argue against Entrapta’s force of will and she wrapped her hair around his waist, carefully supporting his weight as he slumped into her. Adora and Catra watched the pair depart the grassy hillock in careful silence, holding hands, before joining the other Princesses and Queen Glimmer on their way to Bright Moon for the celebrations.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Together *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It felt like days Hordak wandered hopeless and aimless the corridors of the Velvet Spire, harried by Horde Prime’s voice, again and again he thrashed wildly in the green waters of the reconditioning pool. Screams echoed faintly, his own and Catra’s. Sometimes he heard Entrapta’s voice, calling his name.  
_“Hordak”_  
_“Hordak!”_  
_“Ah good, you’re awake…”_  
Entrapta’s pink eyes swam into focus. She looked away and spoke into her gloved fist  
_“Hordak Recovery Log 32, he seems to be responding to the most recent infusion, vitals have improved and he has regained consciousness, recognises his name as Hordak, an...improvement...on previous attempts! Sclera are losing the green glow, perhaps to be replaced by the red based on the current wavelength - I wonder by what mechanism the pigment is deposited, melanocytes? A sample could be...”_  
_“En..Entrapta?”_  
She looked away from her recorder and smiled softly, her face creasing. She looked tired. He held a clawed hand up to her and she rested her head for a moment against his palm. Hordak glanced around disorientated, and slowly began to recognise the slate grey and purple accents of Dryl. He coughed and lightning danced wildly down his ribcage. Grimacing, he sat up whilst Entrapta squealed loudly and wrapped her hair around several hunks of battered metal, pulling them towards him.  
_“I built some temporary sections of armour whilst you were unconscious. Of course, it lacks the sophistication of my previous work due to the time constraints but we have all the time in the world to perfect the next suit, now that we are together!”_  
As it had always had been before, it hurt to have the armour applied to his ports and Hordak snarled - but the pain was at least brief and the relief immediate. However, he did not feel any surge of strength; there was still a lot of weakness and a dull ache. A few sparks flew as Entrapta pulled and tweaked his joints with her visor pulled over her face. He looked at his reflection in the lenses: the green was indeed fading from his eyes and the whiteness from his hair, the reconditioning process was beginning to loosen its grip, just as it had when he first arrived on Etheria. Soon he would look like himself again.  
_“How long have I been unconscious?”_  
_“76 hours. 23 minutes, aaaand...”_  
Entrapta looked quickly down at her tablet.  
_“...17 seconds”_  
_“Ah.”_  
Hordak stood shakily from the lab bench amidst cables, screens, IVs - some still attached to him. He swept them all away in one gesture and turned to face the main display, growling.  
_“I see we have guests”_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Bad News *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bow, Catra and Adora hurriedly walked the narrow stone path towards Dryl, anxious as they had tried repeatedly to hail Entrapta with news from Bright Moon and failed to get any response. Meelog mewled quietly and bounded ahead. Catra had been adamant there was nothing to worry about, relaying what she remembered of Hordak’s awkwardly tender behaviour where the Princess was concerned. Bow narrowed his eyes.  
_“Well yeh, we all saw how they were after the Failsafe, but it's still Hordak we’re talking about! Why can’t Entrapta just answer the phone...We’re running out of time!”_  
Adora didn’t speak, thinking back to that moment she and Hordak had shared in the grass after Prime’s destruction, the feeling of going back to the beginning, completing a circle in time, a new beginning. He had remembered coming through the portal with her. It felt like a lifetime ago, although it was only a week.  
_“...Maybe they don’t want to be disturbed...”_  
Catra winked.  
_“Ew, Catra!”_  
Adora exclaimed whilst Catra snorted and shrugged. By the time they approached the door to the labyrinthic castle, the trio were cautious. Even arriving in friendship, Dryl was formidable and vaguely hostile (sometimes definitively hostile) to living creatures. And this time, they entered with bad news. Meelog bristled as they emerged into the court-yard, a robot butler wheeled towards them with an intense smile flickering across its screen.  
_“W.E.L.C.O.M.E..F.R.I.E.N.D.S..F.O.L.L.O.W..M.E”_  
The robot immediately reversed down one of the dozen identical corridors, leaving a trail of dust and forcing them to sprint after it. After a few narrow misses and lost turns, they emerged sweating and panting in a long thin room with an austere portrait of a tiny black cat in a tall hat hanging over a purple mantle. An array of tiny food was arranged on platters on a table and at the end, sat Hordak, scowling in a chair, and Entrapta, grinning wildly from within the bushels of her hair arranged into a make-shift perch.  
_“Hiiiiii Bow! Hi Adora! Hi Catra!”_  
Bow and Adora returned the gesture but their smiles were short-lived. Catra glanced away, uncomfortable, and shuffled her feet. Entrapta and Hordak both looked exhausted and every few moments Hordak’s armour would let out another shock, lighting up the dull room.  
_“Hi Entrapta, we tried to call…why didn’t you answer? Are you alright?”_  
Adora exclaimed.  
_“We have been busy, Adora”_  
Hordak’s scowl deepened as he barked his reply, unsure of how to deal with the interruption and feeling exposed by his lack of functional armour. The others couldn’t help but stare at the holes in his forearms and withered frame. Entrapta nodded along, entirely missing the tension rising in the room.  
_“It has been a busy 2 days, or 3? It could also have been 7. I can check my recording later for the exact times if that would be helpful. I’m more than okay, especially now that Hordak is here, he wasn’t feeling too good but he’s doing much better now. Tiny cupcake? Tiny cheesecake? Tiny chocolate horse?”_  
She pointed at the tray of tiny desserts. Adora shook her head and the words seemed to burst out of her mouth unbidden. _“I’m sorry Entrapta, Hordak’s been called to Bright Moon to stand trial. Today. We tried to call before...”_  
Adora paced, waving her hands. Hordak was not surprised by the news but he had hoped there would be more time to spend with Entrapta before...before the sentencing. He was angry he had wasted so much time in slumber and slammed his fist on the table. The room jumped.  
_“Still got a temper, huh ‘Boss’?”_  
Catra smirked and smoothed down her hackles as Adora elbowed her in the ribs.  
_“Is he okay? I thought She-Ra’s magic would’ve healed you on the hill...”_  
Adora asked directly as Hordak rose carefully from the table with a snarl and more sparks. He exhaled loudly, tired, ashamed of his weakness. With an upheld hand, said.  
_“This is not a result of any wound, Adora. Regretfully, Ethiria’s magic does not rewrite DNA”_  
Entrapta watched his hand shake and quietly calculated his chances of survival without her. Not good. _  
“I’m coming with you! I’ll need to pack my things. Bow, can you grab that dual-sided laser solder? Bots, Emily is in charge!”_  
There was no time to make and replace the temporary coverings holding Hordak together so Entrapta grabbed tools and supplies in all directions, hoping to make some modest improvements to her rushed prior attempt. Bright Moon had sent a skiff that the trio had hurried to stay ahead of, not wanting the palace guards to be the ones to deliver the message, and Adora quietly ushered them both aboard. This time, the others tried hard not to stare as Hordak passed, supported by coils of pink hair. Entrapta deposited him carefully onto the seat, his reddish-brown eyes half-lidded and his ears drooping low against his scalp. He met Adora’s pitiful stare with a disdainful sneer and watched the Crypto Castle disappear into the distance.  
By the time they arrived at Bright Moon, Hordak had again fallen unconscious and Entrapta carried him into the castle in a stretcher of hair. Bow and Adora showed her the spare room - still functioning as a somewhat opulent guarded jail cell. Technically, Entrapta should have been shown her own room and kept out of the “dungeon” but Queen Glimmer had permitted, provided she _“...not blow anything or anyone up in any way!”_ as she swapped a concerned look with Adora, both looking at the sprawled figure on the floor. Bow deposited the tools he had helped carry and kneeled.  
_“Is...Is Hordak going to be alright?”_  
He looked into Entrapta’s visor and only saw his own reflection.  
_“Oh yes, definitely, absolutely!”_  
She replied, a little too quickly. Bow embraced her and stood back up as she fired up a blow torch. Adora, Glimmer and Bow left and the guards crossed lances loudly across the door. Occasionally Entrapta would have to pause as Hordak thrashed in his nightmares and shouted her name. She held his hand until it passed, not sure if it made a difference. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Adjustments *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next day, Hordak sat stiffly on a stool as Entrapta tinkered with cables and patched various sections. He had awoken sometime before dawn and had found her curled in a nest of hair at his elbow, snoring softly. He waited in the quiet as the gloom turned bright, unable to remember the last time he had been at ease. Watching her was...peaceful, even with the cramp and ache of his body. It was hours before she awoke and they didn’t speak of it.  
_“There! Now you won’t be shorting out anymore and I’ve re-routed more power to the compression coils so you should be able to walk easier and...”_  
He tapped his knee with a claw as she worked, watching the adjustments with an interested eye and listening to her commentary. It was much easier to have a lab partner, he reflected, remembering his early attempts alone in the Fright Zone, repeatedly electrocuting himself. He glanced at the concentration on her face as she soldered the final circuit and helped him to his feet. Nothing sparked as he opened and closed his fists.He grinned, showing fangs.  
_“Brilliant work, as always Entrapta ”_  
She raised herself up to his full height with a toothy smile, illuminated in the pale glow emanating from the walls, one hand on his shoulder and a tendril of hair on his other.  
_“No problem, partner!”_  
A knock at the door interrupted the moment and the guard waved Hordak out. He was able to walk with a straight back and unaided for the first time since the afterglow of the Failsafe and Entrapta followed close behind on prehensile hair. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The Trial *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They entered the main hall where Glimmer sat on the throne alongside her father, both eying Hordak with neutrality. King Micah cast a powerful truth spell over the room as the trial got underway.  
_“Hordak, you are here to answer for your crimes against Etheria, including ransacking, extracting magical resources, pillaging, the orphaning and kidnapping of children, to name but a few. Obviously your recent intervention to save Princess Entrapta’s life will be taken into consideration.”_  
The King gestured to the hall, with representatives from every major town who glared but refrained from any audible disapproval. Hordak felt their eyes on his scarred back and stood straight, not showing any weakness. He looked up at the thrones and noticed at the side of the steps stood Adora. In turn, each of the Princesses gave evidence against him under the truth spell, as well as Catra and Bow. Then the townsfolk told stories of Horde raids. Hordak did not flinch from any of it, his memory was still emerging from the fog of Prime’s control but he knew enough, knew his own guilt in the pursuit of Prime’s acceptance. The King continued.  
_“Now Adora, ahem, She-Ra has attested to the cleansing of Prime from your body and has given testimony. As has Princess Entrapta and Catra described events within the Velvet Spire. However, your crimes cannot go unpunished.”_  
Hordak felt a tendril of hair creep around his palm and tightened, he glanced down and could see Entrapta was holding her breath. He raised his other hand to speak, holding it close to the crystal at his throat, and in halting tones.  
_“I...I only ask for my execution to be swift. For...for…”_  
Hordak lowered his gaze and motioned at the Princess by his side. Entrapta stammered and reached for his hand with her gloved fingers. She had not considered the possibility that they might kill Hordak for his part in the war, he was her lab partner. He listened to her. The room fell silent, heavy. Queen Glimmer stood from her seat, incredulous.  
_“We do not kill people in Bright Moon, Hordak. We are the good guys, remember?”_  
He stared up at her in confusion. He was guilty of such horror under the worship of Horde Prime. Killing him seemed the only logical conclusion. He was defective, corrupted and unworthy of a place in the new world of Etheria, irredeemable. He felt the cold sharp memory of the reconditioning pool rising within him, threatening to overtake his senses - but Queen Glimmer’s voice drew his gaze up once more as she continued. _  
“...However, for the part you have played, we would ask you to assist in the cleanup of Etheria. There is still a lot of dangerous tech on the mainland and especially Beast Island”_  
The crowd murmured, some wondering aloud if that wasn’t a death sentence by another name, as terrifying stories of the island had spread after King Micah’s return. Hordak saw Queen Glimmer was not looking at him, but at Entrapta with a soft gaze who was oblivious - enraptured at the thought of all the technology she did not have time to unearth during her previous short (long? medium?) stay there. Her eyes filled with stars and she exclaimed loud enough for the whole hall to hear.  
_“I’m coming with you!”_


	2. Chapter 2: Remedial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hordak and Entrapta work to dismantle Beast Island, growing closer as a result...perhaps becoming even more than lab partners? Not that they can talk about their feelings.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Project 1 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

_“The task before us is immense, Entrapta”_  
Hordak gestured widely at the hulking metal cutting the horizon. Bright Moon had equipped them with a mobile lab on a modified transport skiff to begin the process of disabling and removing the abandoned First One’s tech that littered Beast Island. Smaller darting vessels contained members of crew now under Princess Entrapta’s command who lived on a ship anchored in deeper waters. The Princess grinned and flipped down her visor.  
 _“Let’s get to work”_  
Based on her observations from her previous visit she had drawn up schematics for various gadgetry and plans to counteract the dangers waiting for them. She spread the loose-leaf sketches and looked at Hordak expectantly, eye alight. 3D models spun on the tablet in front of her. Hordak grinned and poured over the first design that caught his eye, a trident-shaped connector that would detect and destructively interfere with the despondent brain wave emitted from the vines near the centre of the island.  
 _“I believe we should begin here, these vines are a perfect high impact target for our first project”_  
She was excited by the prospect of building the trident connector and testing her theories on destructive interference. As the project got underway, it was too much to also remember to sleep and eat, so Hordak tried to remind her, although it was enthralling for him as well and he habitually forgot. It was also easier than succumbing to the nightmares that still plagued him, twisting on the thin cot on the floor. Entrapta pulled his armour on and off, now with time to make further adjustment, he requested a lightweight replacement.  
They spoke long into the day/night cycle, lit only by the diodes and LEDs of the screens that covered every wall of the lab. The days passed within the lab and their passage was only noted within Entrapta’s recorder and by the daily reports sent in by the team combing the edges of the shore for scrap. In such a small space, the pair were almost always in physical contact via Entrapta’s hair strands and it felt normal and correct, and they didn’t discuss it. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The First Time *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As some of the other inventions required scavenging materials and as the trident was finally ready for deployment, they decided first-thing that it time to go ashore. Later in the morning, Entrapta had ambushed her lab partner with an unlabeled tub filled with a pale, viscous substance.  
 _“Hordak!”_  
He back pedalled into the wall as she smeared it on his nose bridge.  
 _“What is the meaning of this! Desist, at once. Entrapta!”_  
He held her wrists as she explained.  
 _“I’ve determined your skin has no melanin-based protection from the ultraviolet radiation emitted from Moons’ 5 and 8 at this latitude. I think your species may have evolved to function in darkness or at least in a low-light environment. Thus, this polymer will protect you from further cellular damage.”_  
He stared wide-eyed and stopped protesting, releasing her wrists as she hummed away and finished the application. A warmth spread in his chest and across his cheeks. Later, as he stood on the deck of the skiff, he ruminated on his silence, wishing he had thanked her for her forethought. _“No matter”_ he thought to himself and focused on the matter at hand. They stepped off the skiff and Entrapta squealed loudly with excitement, bounding away. Hordak slowly followed. Bodies of exiled Horde army soldiers littered dark corners of the beach, in various stages of decay. At first, he examined each one carefully but quickly stopped when he realised he could not remember a single face or name he’d sent to die here. It made him uncomfortable. Entrapta watched him curiously before bringing her fingers to her lips and cut the air with a whistle. A long silence followed, Hordak was about to speak when something rattled from deep within the island. Rhythmic smashing, thumping, roaring, all the time getting louder and closer. Hordak moved to shield Entrapta, to what benefit he wasn’t sure, when a filthy purple mechanoid crashed out of the undergrowth and she leapt over to it, embracing it with a huge hair-encircling hug.  
 _“Hi girl, told you I’d be back!”_  
He cocked his head and looked into the deep trail. Entrapta waved him over to the transporter.  
 _“Hordak, this is Meelo. Meelo meet Hordak”_  
Opening the door she pushed him into the single seat and clambered in after him. Using her hair to brace against the walls, she hovered in his lap. She was so excited to show him the heart of the island, she missed him blush. He refocused on the trail in front of them. Tapping various panels and grabbing the joystick, she steered Meelo and they bounced in the cramped cockpit.  
The plan for the clean-up involved decommissioning the more deadly aspect of the weapons, starting with the nano-transponders emitting the depressing frequency that had almost ensnared her. Entrapta thought back to that day and hoped one day she would be able to explore space with Hordak on Darla with her friends. But Etheria first. They approached the entrance to the temple. She pulled out her trident-shaped jamming unit and cackled into her recorder.  
 _“Beast Island Log 32, project 1.3, we are approaching the First Ones temple to uncover the central processing unit of the Nano-transponders and install the jamming unit, version 2.3a. Hordak, are you ready?”_  
She tensed in preparation to launch from the cockpit and without any thought, he leaned forward and kissed the nape of her neck beneath the strap of her visor. They both froze and time held still, if only for a brief moment. Hordak stammered and only caught the edge of her smile as the Princess disembarked in a flurry of purple strands. He couldn’t hope to keep up with her, so he held back within Meelo’s cockpit as she installed the device, as was the predetermined plan. Worry ate at him for his boldness. Upon her return, he decided the only correct course of action would be to apologise for his inappropriate behaviour towards his lab partner. Resolved, he waited.  
 _“Beast Island log 33, I’m approaching the First One central processing unit, the signal is strongest here. Approaching the interface now. Huh, an unexpected complication...”_  
She opened a panel and noticed several wires attached the CPU to a separate unit. A pink light began flashing in an apparent countdown. With a sharp intake of breath, she plugged into the panel and began to furiously type, racing to outpace the First One’s defensive program before it could blow the entire temple sky-high. A diode short-circuited, filling the room with a dark dirty cloud of smoke - she punched the air in triumph, locking the trident emitter into place.  
 _“Got it!”_  
Meanwhile, the minutes ticked slowly for Hordak and a new set of worries emerged. What if the device was ineffective and she was trapped by the despondent-vines? What if some otherwise unknown threat had emerged? He drove Meelo closer to the edge of the doorway. Sliding out, he tugged open the curtain and peered into the dark passageway. His ears twitched at unfamiliar noises and he narrowed his eyes, trying to triangulate the location. Suddenly Entrapta appeared, dropping down from above, covered in soot.  
 _“Hi Hordak! Sorry for the delay, there were an interesting defence mechanism built into the input socket that took some adjustment”_  
 _“Ah! Entrapta, are you hurt?”_  
Hordak jumped but quickly regained his composure.  
 _“Yes, yes I’m fine, just minor cosmetic damage, I’ll probably need a new set of overalls...”_  
He nodded, satisfied with her answer.  
 _“I regret my...inappropriate advance, please accept my unreserved apology”_  
He bowed his head with hands balled into fists. She looked puzzled at her admonished lab partner, the obvious pain in his face and tried to remember what it was he was apologising for. She opened and closed her mouth, feeling the nape of her neck through her gloved hands. He looked away into the forest. She paused.  
 _“Oh Hordak, do you mean -uh - do you mean the kiss?”_  
 _“Of course”_  
She approached him, his hands were shaking so she held them in her hair-hands whilst holding his face in her gloved hands - transferring sooty handprints to his white cheeks. His red eyes brimmed with tears. She lifted his chin towards her and kissed him, feeling him gasp beneath her hands and hair.  
 _“I do not...deserve…”_  
She felt him murmur but his heart was not in it. He leaned back, dazed, and she smiled, leading him back hair-in-hand to Meelo, loudly describing the defences she had witnessed within the First One’s network. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Reputation *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

Entrapta had hoped to salvage as much code as she could from the melted cores but with so much corruption, extraction of meaningful data had proved challenging without the rest of her lab equipment - even with the additional knowledge she had gained during the siege of Prime’s neural network. She had promised Glimmer that she would not bring anything _”dangerous”_ back to the mainland...But now as she stood on the shore, she knew she could not abandon the wealth of knowledge available, there were still so many questions about the First Ones technology and potential for integration between Etherian magic and the technology; her mind was alight with possibilities! In order to recover physical artefacts, teams on the lightweight skiffs darted back and forth from the vessel in deeper water, outside of the influence of the Island to enable transport back to Dryl. Wishing she had more robots that could fly safely, she waved one of the skiffs down as it came ashore.  
 _“Yes, Princess?”_  
The human pilot called over the open air and waved down at her as he slowed to a complete stop. Hordak stood well away, pretending to examine an old rune - he had noticed his presence complicated things for Entrapta with the other Etherians. She thumbed behind her and threw up a hook.  
 _“Can you tow this?”_  
The pilot nodded and attached the line, beginning to reverse and dragging the artefact out of the interior. Entrapta waved at Hordak and wandered off with her recorder in hand. The thick metal disc she had attached slowly emerged from the dirt and slid across the sand. As it approached the surf, the pilot called out across the beach.  
 _“Hey, hey you!”_  
Hordak turned and squinted. Entrapta was now out of ear-shot and no one else was around.  
 _“Yeh you, can you help?”_  
The pilot pointed vaguely behind the skiff to the floating barge attached, used to transport bits of old tech to the ship anchored in the deeper waters. Hordak had watched others perform this function previously and was confident he could imitate the action, at least in the absence of any other available subordinates. He marched across the sand, waded into the surf and tipped the barge edge. Hordak called out to signal readiness.  
 _“Forward!”_  
The skiff dragged the disc as Hordak tipped the edge below the water, struggling to remain steady in the waves. The barge bumped and jostled against his grip, jamming against the stern of the skiff. The glinting surface of the disc momentarily blinded him as it settled on top, he bellowed.  
 _“Stop! Stop!”_  
A spray of sea water hit him in the face and soaked his tarbard. He spluttered and snarled. The pilot gingerly popped his head over the edge and the two peered suspiciously at each other.  
 _“Sorry...Lor...-Hordak”_  
He pinched the flat bridge of his nose, exhaling. The pilot was obviously an ex-Horde soldier and no doubt still chose to help with the clean-up, the King had decreed that the mission was strictly volunteer-only, supplemented by robotic helpers from Dryl itself. Prescient of the rage that used to fuel his outbursts, he felt some of the same fire rising in his chest - but as Entrapta flitted across the sand towards them, her laughter echoing, he instead raised a clawed hand.  
 _“Do not worry about it, I will dry in the heat. Now get that artefact back to the ship.”_  
He turned stiffly and walked away from the skiff, leaving the pilot in shock. The pilot engaged the drive, smirking as he did so - _“no one was going to believe this!”_ he thought to himself. He took his tale to the canteen and true, no one did. So far, few of the crew had ever interacted with the tall, gaunt figure in their time on Beast Island and he was still renowned for his temper. But as time passed and more interactions occurred between Hordak and the crew, his tyrannical reputation began to fade. It was replaced with a collective image of an aloof but practical leader, a good folly for Princess Entrapta’s unrestrained enthusiasm, occasionally approaching recklessness. Especially during the dangerous forays into the island interior. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Night Terrors *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

_“Hordak. Hey Hordak...Wake up, it’s just a nightmare”_  
He struggled upright as Entrapta shook his shoulder weakly, she drifted back off to sleep on the cot. He had not slept well since Failsafe and being possessed by Prime, the same nightmares would not leave him; of killing Entrapta and all of Etheria, burning in holy fire, the reconditioning pool. She-Ra (and by extension, Etheria) may have forgiven his trespasses, but he could not. He had begun noticing minor anomalies during his waking hours, the exhaustion was taking its toll and the pain at night was increasing, likely due to cortisol accumulation. Growling, he idly wondered how Catra was coping, how his brothers were adjusting to life on the outskirts of Bright Moon under “Wrong-Hordak”’s leadership, if he had replaced that ridiculous moniker yet. A spasm contracted in his left side. Wincing, he injected a nerve-block into his shoulder and eventually fell back into a fitful sleep. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Heading Home *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It took 3 months to disable tech on Beast Island and another 2 months to clear it out, the pair working nearly round the clock. And as they journeyed back to Bright Moon on the deepwater vessel to give their final report, Entrapta looked at Hordak in a new light. He was still gaunt beneath his armour but had built some strength on their mission, had grown in confidence (and patience) in dealing with the Etherians, and laughed a little easier in her company. The white was now entirely purged from his hair, leaving a navy stripe down his scalp, and the green had faded from his mouth and eyes, now glowing with a red light. She could see he was still tired, whenever she would look over at him during the night she saw him staring at the ceiling; they had spoken at length of methods for dealing with his nightmares but he still resisted her wish to experiment on him.  
She had decided at some point to invite him to Scorpia’s Princess Ball, the first the Fright Zone had ever hosted in Etherian history. Although it was not a true All-Princess-Ball - it was officially being held to celebrate Scorpia’s ascension to the Black Garnet. But it made no difference to the difficulty Entrapta was mulling over - she lacked proper data on how such an invitation should be delivered. She made a mental note to review Beast Island Log 152, where she had encountered the dilemma. The kiss was an additional complication....She resolved to ask one of her friends for advice when she returned to the mainland. Snapping back to the present, Hordak motioned to the coastline emerging from the horizon.  
 _“It will not be long now”_  
She nodded enthusiastically and in one fluid motion wrapped a thick band of hair around his waist, lifting him from the deck and twirling them both. The crew cheered as they pulled into port and Hordak nodded his thanks to the crew as they departed, a mission successfully completed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Decided to name the transporter Meelo, Entrapta would never leave a good friend nameless!  
> \- I figured they would be absolutely consumed by their work, both a little obsessive and lacking in self-care  
> \- Hordak awkwardly trying to learn how to speak to Etherians after spending decades on their planet....


	3. Residual: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hordak and Entrapta return to Bright Moon where they deal with echoes of the war and Hordak tries to integrate

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Humour *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On their journey to the castle, Entrapta had decided to keep a secret; the treasure trove of recovered tech that awaited their attention in Dryl after the Princess Ball. _“We’re not lying, just omitting...some of the truth, it’s not like last time, this is different, this is our project...”_ , Entrapta assured _“...we can’t let their fear stand in the way of progress, of knowledge!”_ Hordak did not need any such convincing, thrilled by her passion, her **ambition**. It satisfied a possessive hunger in him, to hear her say _”our project”_.  
Hordak and Entrapta were due to present their full report on the liquidation of Beast Island to the Princess Alliance in the Bright Moon War Room. The table was laden with loose papers, schematics, graphs, and several models had been wheeled in by palace guards - Entrapta finally had a captive audience and she was not going to waste a single moment. Mermsita held one of the schematics between a thumb and forefinger, nauseated. She immediately bailed, calling back  
_“I’m, like, not living for the boring science stuff, Geek Princess, come find me after”_  
Only Bow followed the presentation until the end, madly scribbling notes with a tongue poking out the side of his mouth whilst the rest of the Princesses looked on, glazed and distracted and fidgeting. Hordak had mainly stood in silence to one side, arms crossed and smiling faintly - this was Entrapta’s moment, she was so excited to show her friends their discoveries, animated, she looked most alive when discussing her theories. Throughout the presentation, several pairs of eyes repeatedly flicked in his direction, Catra and Adora, Glimmer, Scorpia - they could all see that he only had eyes for Entrapta.  
_”Well, he still **looks** evil”_  
Frosta whispered loudly.  
_“Well that’s not very fair, I don’t think he can help how he looks”_  
Scorpia replied, remembering her own exclusion from the group. Hordak shifted and glanced over at the table for the first time but before he could retort, Bow stood and clapped loudly, announcing to the room that Entrapta had concluded and there was a distracted round of applause.  
_“Great work, Entrapta!”_  
_“Well, I couldn’t have done it without Hordak!”_  
She wrapped her hair around his waist and shoulders, lifted him and presented him as evidence to the room. Unease rippled across the room, followed by a wave of confusion as Hordak chuckled, leaning his elbow on the thick rope of hair and resting his chin in his palm, suspended in mid-air  
_”This is actually a common method of transportation on Beast Island”_  
Adora snorted and the room was a little less cold. Hordak was pleased - he had been studying Etherian behaviour and body language far more carefully than he had ever cared to before in all the decades he’d been stranded here. Deploying humour seemed to play a large bonding component, especially if delivered in a spontaneous fashion - Entrapta would be pleased, her notes had been invaluable.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Smell The Flowers *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Midnight had long rolled by and a sleepless Hordak had slipped out of his room to walk the grounds. Two silent guards accompanied him as had been agreed until he had demonstrated he could be trusted. He had never seen the interior of Bright Moon, only the walls outside on monitors as the Horde had attacked. It simply did not compare. Long corridors glittered in the moonlight, the view across the valley in greys and blues. Turning a corner, the memorial to Glimmer’s mother gave him pause. He had heard from Entrapta how Angella had been trapped between dimensions, saving all of Etheria from his portal that Catra had opened. An incredible sacrifice; her immortality meant she would not even be released by death. Hordak shuddered, thinking to hold out a hand in apology, or perhaps gratitude, but thought better of it and moved on.  
He came upon a garden on a terrace. Dark thorned flowers wound in bushes, a stark contrast to the pastel and jewel tones of the castle. Bending to touch one of the blossoms, he knew Shadow Weaver had perished deep within the bowels of the planet, her final wish that the magic be free, untethered. Protecting Catra and Adora. A cascade of death and misery, all starting with Horde Prime. The sound of soft padding footsteps shook him from his reverie and he straightened.  
_”Hi Hordak”_  
_”Catra”_  
_”Isn’t it a bit late for smelling flowers”_  
Her fangs glinted in the dark. He thought of all the orphaned children who had grown up in the Horde, trained within it and then fought in his name, as expendable as he himself had been to Horde Prime.  
_”Catra. I’m sorry. For all that it is worth now. I was...I was wrong, about Prime”_  
_”Duh...I mean, sure Hordak, I’m sorry too, for Entrapta and the portal and…”_  
They stared at each other for a few seconds. Catra shuffled awkwardly and continued.  
_”So, can’t sleep?”_  
_”I have not slept well since the Failsafe.”_  
_”Me neither, the nightmares...I still hear his voice in my head”_  
Hordak’s eyes widened in recognition.  
_”I...I too hear him. I think some part of me is still there with him on the cliff, watching as we are engulfed by green flame.”_  
Catra smiled sympathetically, running her fingers through her mane and brushed the back of her neck. They watched the first rays of the dawn creep over the horizon together - still sleepless but at least not alone with their nightmares. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Flashbacks *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was mid-day. Glimmer trained in the courtyard with her dad, her magic had come on leaps and bounds since her first attempts at spells with Shadow Weaver. Bow sat cross-legged at the steps tinkering with arrowheads. Adora watched from her bedroom window, listening to the faint sound of spell casting. Catra napped on the bed, curled up with Meelog. Watching her purr quietly, Adora was sure her heart could melt no further. She tip-toed from the room into the corridor, heading towards the kitchen.  
The Princess Alliance had mostly departed to get ready for the Princess Ball, only Entrapta and Hordak remained at Bright Moon. He was not a prisoner exactly, but neither was he entirely free. Many Etherians had lost loved ones in the war. When She-Ra had channeled the magic of the planet, Adora had understood the inevitability and interconnectedness of everything, a glimpse of something **more** but it was difficult to explain. She tried to spread the message of forgiveness, and wounds were beginning to heal, but she knew some were still too fresh. So Hordak remained under light guard, mostly in the library it was reported by the General _“a dull duty, truth be told”_ she had laughed. Suddenly, a shout echoed down the hall  
_“Hordak!”_  
Entrapta! She launched forward and flowed easily into She-Ra, the connection strong and effortless. It took seconds to cover the short distance to the main hall. She skidded to a halt in the doorway, sword aloft, mouth agape. Hordak was struggling violently, restrained by Entrapta’s hair as she stood facing the two guards yelling and pointing their lances.  
_”Get away from him!”_  
_“Entrapta!”_  
Hordak roared, unseeing. She-Ra sheathed her sword, she pushed the guards aside. Entrapta was out of breath, chest heaving with effort.  
_”She-Ra, he doesn’t know when he is. Don’t hurt him”_  
_”Just like Madame Razz”_  
She-Ra whispered as she gently cradled the sides of Hordak’s head, searching for him. A tapestry of crossed threads, so much pain. Exhaustion. Guilt. A torrent of green flame. He was right, Etheria’s magic could not heal him. But she could return him to the present, get him away from the flames.  
_”The war is over, Hordak”_  
_”She-...She-Ra? Where...”_  
Entrapta released him only to embrace him again. She-Ra stood back and said,  
_”I’m sorry Hordak, you were lost there. What happened?”_  
_”I was on the hill, I am always on the hill.”_  
Hordak sighed and relaxed into Entrapta’s hair, exhausted - the last thing he remembered, he had been reading about magic:rune interfaces, he must’ve drifted off. The next thing he knew, he had awoken at the unmaking of the world. She-Ra stood before him, hands on hips.  
_”If Entrapta hadn’t been here, you could’ve been killed Hordak.”_  
_”It is becoming a more persistent problem than I first appreciated.”_  
He ventured, still feeling a little light-headed. Entrapta held him tighter. She-Ra placed a hand on each of their shoulders.  
_”You need to get some sleep, Hordak. You deserve to sleep.”_  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Rest *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Entrapta steepled her fingers. She had pulled all the data she had on the biological phenomena of sleep, of dream-states, of traumatic injuries - a project she had abandoned on Beast Island at Hordak’s request. She was determined to help him. His previous episode played on her mind as she worked furiously until the afternoon. Darkness was important, quiet, temperature, humidity. She blocked the windows, built a climate control unit, cleared the bed of tools, plates and papers. She had uncovered one last variable...physical touch seemed to also have a dampening effect on the sympathetic nervous system. At least, Etherian physiology operated this way. This would require experimentation. The prospect was intriguing, and made her a little nervous.  
Hordak wearily climbed the steps to Entrapta’s room, holding the tracker-pad as it flashed with Entrapta’s message to meet her there.. He did not know exactly what to expect but She-Ra’s insistence that he make an effort to sleep was still ringing in his ears. _”the war is over”_ he thought.  
He furrowed his brow as he reached the threshold. Entrapta quickly ushered him in and closed the door, plunging the room into a cool, airy darkness. Hordak could still make out the outline of Entrapta standing near the bed. She reached out to him and began to unclip his cybernetics, with some hisses and clangs the panels hit the floor.  
_”I’ve been studying mechanics of rest and believe I’ve formulated the optimal set of conditions...”_  
She flushed a soft pink in the darkness as she worked, lit by a small flashlight she held in her mouth. As the final plate fell, she led him to the bed, picking her way over tools and screens. Hordak collapsed onto the pillows, staring up at Entrapta, who was pulling her steel-toed boots off.  
_”..?”_  
Hordak coughed into his fist and looked away, feeling the blood rush to his face, all the way to the tips of his ears. She hopped on one leg, pulling the other out of her overalls. He attempted to protest but she waved her free hand with a single raised finger.  
_”Physical contact, specifically skin-to-skin contact, is actually very helpful for reducing the stress response”_  
She said matter of factly, ignoring her own elevated heart rate. Her hair lifted his tensed shoulders and she settled beneath him, holding his head in her still-gloved hands. He could feel her heartbeat in his ear, thudding in the dark. Focusing on the sound, the world began to dissolve. Entrapta felt his body relax.  
_”Thank you...Entrapta...”_  
_”Goodnight, Hordak”_  
They slept deeply the rest of the night, undisturbed by green flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Trust takes time but also, bridging a gap with social skill practice...Entrapta and Hordak copying each other's homework on Etherian behaviour :L  
> \- Turns out if you keep running away from your problems, they just come with you  
> \- Hugs are important <3


	4. Chapter 4: Residual Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fright Zone Ball has a lot to offer: friends, new clothes, dancing...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Welcome Back *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Everything was different now - the Fright Zone was nearly unrecognisable from the smog-choked complex he remembered, now hidden beneath a carpet of foliage and flowers. A floral fragrance wafted up on the gentle evening wind, but beneath, Hordak could still detect a sour, sulphurous note. The skiff set itself down in what was now a cleared main square just within the crater rim. Amongst the steel structures still standing, Scorpia had restored her family’s ancestral home - Horror Hall - over the ruins of Hordak’s former residence, the red sandstone looked grey in the moonlight, hidden amongst the towering vertical gardens.  
_“Aw, what happened to the lab Hordak?”_  
Entrapta looked...disappointed. Dark thoughts, bad memories flitted in front of his eyes and he swiped them away, leaving the question unanswered. The pair alighted and crossed the plaza, an undercurrent of whispers followed at their heels and a few of the bolder inhabitants heckled from the windows. Entrapta retreated beneath her visor and hurried on whilst Hordak visibly bristled at the insolence - autonomous responses to stimuli, she thought. Hordak managed to bite his tongue, this was no longer his land to rule, and strode on, following Entrapta into the reception of Horror Hall where Scorpia waited with Perfuma.  
_“SUPER PAL HUG!”_  
Scorpia bellowed as she scooped Entrapta up in her pincers. The Princess of the Black Garnet had found ruling the new kingdom overwhelming but with Perfuma beside her, had managed to integrate much of the Horde army and newly settled refugees left unhoused by the war, although it had been a challenging 6 months of administration and emotional healing. The citizens were definitely rough-and-ready but she loved them all.  
_“Hello Force Cap- Princess Scorpia”_  
Hordak stood tall, arms crossed behind his back and it was all Scorpia could do to not salute at the sound of his voice. He seemed different, softer maybe, but she could not put her pincer exactly on exactly what it was. Perfuma smiled widely.  
_“Welcome, Hordak and the Princess of Dryl”_  
She placed a garland of flowers on each of their heads, ignoring their equally bemused expressions.  
_“Hiii Perfuma, thanks for the flowers”_  
Entrapta beamed up at Perfuma as the group moved into the refurbished Black Garnet chamber. Hordak had a flashback of being trapped underneath the rubble, an echo of the pain in his spine. Entrapta, in tune with his body language after studying it for so long at close quarters, slipped a strand of hair into his palm and Scorpia repressed a squeal of adoration (not entirely successfully). Hordak was absolutely sure the temperature of the room had increased above a comfortable ambience, as Scorpia’s eyes were wide, glittering, and focused on him. He shifted his gaze to the dark crimson of the gem, his reflection next to Entrapta’s, knowing his actions would reflect on her. He also knew from his social experiments so far that he should engage in “small talk” to improve his standing amongst the Etherians.  
_“Do you have a question, Forc-Princess Scorpia?”_  
Hordak sighed, knowing from her delight and sharp intake of breath that he had opened a can of scorpions. A torrent of questions erupted at a speed that Hordak was not sure was physically possible.  
_“Are you together? Like, together together? Do you love Entrapta? What happened on Beast Island? Have you kissed? Are you coming to the Princess Ball together, I mean together, together. Obviously you’re coming together but...”_  
It went on. And on. She gestured wildly with her pincers, pacing back and forward, not taking a breath. The crew on Beast Island had been happy with a few exchanged words, very minor formalities and Bright Moon had been spent mostly in the library - Hordak was not prepared for such an onslaught. His mouth opened to speak and closed again before Perfuma intervened.  
_“I’m sure Hordak and Entrapta are tired after their journey, how about we allow them to rest and refresh in their rooms…Come on Scorpia”_  
Perfuma gestured towards Hordak’s former Sanctum, now split into the guest quarters, and frog-marched Scorpia from the room, with the torrent of questions getting quieter and quieter until fading into silence. Entrapta and Hordak both blushed in the red glow of the Garnet.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Question *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 _“Scorpia, I have an enquiry”_  
_“Ha, oh, wow! Well my friend, I will do my best”_  
_“What is the appropriate protocol to use when requesting....a date”_  
The ensuing shriek echoed The Fright Zone corridor, deafening Entrapta who immediately disappeared into the vent above with a yelp. The noise additionally mobilised several concerned occupants of the building - profuse apologies were then distributed. It took several minutes to coax Entrapta out of the vent.  
_“So, about your question…”_  
They spoke for an hour, or more. Entrapta flitted through the vents, armed with new knowledge about romantic interactions. She was prepared, she had asked many follow-up questions, some made Scorpia blush and others made her guffaw (in a good-natured fashion, Entrapta had double-checked). Looking through the vent before entering the Sanctum, she saw Hordak slumped at his desk snoring quietly. He slept a lot more now, her experiment with touch had been a resounding success, the nightmares stayed at bay when they shared a cot. Silently, she dropped down onto the plush carpet but he snapped awake.  
_“Entrapta!”_  
_“Ah...sorry Hordak”_  
_“No matter, how was your visit to Princess Scorpia?”_  
Entrapta hesitated for a brief moment before snapping herself with her hair, “concentrate” she thought. Tapping her two fore-fingers together, she presented her proposal as Scorpia had instructed.  
_“Would you like to, uh, ah, go to the ball...like together together”_  
Hordak said nothing but did nod, vigorously.  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* New Clothes *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Entrapta sat in her hair-chair and packed her instruments. She was buzzing with excitement, this would be the first time she had attended an event with a date (attended anywhere with a date in fact!) and would be able to generate a lot more interactive data. She had even ordered a fresh pair of overalls! On the other side of the room, an armourless Hordak brooded in the chair. He knew Scorpia had explicitly invited him, a small comfort, but the prospect of a formal event with his former enemies was still difficult to come to terms with, after 6 months (and in reality, many decades) of living in a lab mostly alone. Bright Moon had been the training ground, this would be the battle. Between his claws, he held a long navy overdress embossed with the Dryl sigil in grey, a soft fabric - with excellent “swish” he had been assured by the tailor. He slumped further into the chair.  
_“Do you have enough instrumentation, Entrapta? This is just some kind of Etherian social gathering as I understand it”_  
He raised an eyebrow and she snorted.  
_“Hordak, you know better than anyone that a scientist can never be too prepared! This will be a great opportunity for data gathering”_  
He nodded and dragged himself to his feet to allow her hair to begin the short unpleasant process of introducing the armour panels to his body. Daily removal was important to prevent further atrophy and pressure sores (as Entrapta insisted on reminding him) but it left him vulnerable. He had spent decades in his suit, ignoring the reality of his defects and the damage was now frustratingly evident (at least to him). He could not recall his age, he was only vaguely aware of the long spans of time that had passed between each reconditioning, until his final expulsion from Prime’s side. But he knew that clones were not immortal, defects accumulated over time until eventually, the physical system broke down - a process quickened by Prime’s possession and siphoning of life-force. He stared down at Entrapta as she worked, seized by the sudden realisation that he might die before her. He put it out of his mind.  
Oblivious, she smiled as she pulled the dress over his head, clipping the belt into place. He nodded approvingly, shaking his head of cobwebs - the dress did indeed have excellent swish.  
_“Let's go meet my friends”_  
She started towards the door, pulling him by the hand with her hair - but he had stopped mid-step. Awkwardly, he crouched down to face her. He blushed and kissed her quickly.  
_“I want you to know that I care deeply about our partnership. I am glad we are...together together, as you say”_  
His eyes glowed warmly in the dark corridor and lit by their light, she returned the gesture.  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The Fright Zone Ball *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Glittering in a midnight black and red maxi dress, her stinger and pincers adorned with garnets and rubies, Scorpia look both elegant and intimidating. The decorations of the hall matched her colours and the Black Garnet was alight, crackling with red lightning. Huge bunches of dark scarlet roses dangled from the ceiling like chandeliers. Tables were laden with regular-sized (and miniature-sized) food and flutes and goblets of wine and fizzy drinks. Velvet drapes framed the mural of Scorpia’s family. She gazed up at them, hoping they were proud of her. Perfuma linked arms with her as they ascended the stage, ready to welcome the guests.  
_”I know they are looking down at you fondly, Scorpia, you are doing beautifully”_  
The announcer at the door held the guest scroll aloft and decreed loudly across the hall.  
_“Welcome, Bow & Queen Glimmer of Bright Moon”_  
_“Welcome, She-Ra, Princess of Power, and Catra...Meowmeow””_  
Bow winked and cheered.  
_”The Best Friend Squad is ready to mingle!”_  
Catra waved to Scorpia across the hall and padded to the drinks.  
_”Welcome, Princess Mermista of Salineas, and SeaHawk”_  
_“Welcome Princess Frosta of the Kingdom of Snows...”_  
The announcements droned on and on as the guests hugged, greeted and exchanged news, with plenty of wine to go round the room. It had been an exhausting year.  
_”Welcome Princess Entrapta of Dryl and...Hordak”_  
Entrapta made a beeline for the food, stuffing her pockets and Hordak lifted a glass. The Horror Hall - he had not been within its walls since the Black Garnet was ceded to him. The mural of Scorpia’s family loomed above him as he drank the glass in one fluid movement. A strand of pink hair touched the corner of his ear as Entrapta leaned in, dispersing his melancholic cloud.  
_”Hey Hordak, shall we get the experiment underway?”_  
He nodded, snatched another flute, and took her arm. Music swelled to signal the first dance. A determined look of concentration crossed their faces.  
_”For science?”_  
_”For science”_  
Neither had danced before and it did not come naturally; they twirled in the wrong direction, mis-stepped repeatedly and bumped into other couples. The pattern became more obvious, _“it’s like a mathematical formula”_ Entrapta whispered and she took the lead. It certainly improved their collision rate! Adora smiled as she and Catra spun together for the final turn.  
_”I have to believe he can change, you know, **be good**. ”_  
_”I know”_  
After the dance, Entrapta went to speak to Mermista about the Salineas Wall project that was getting underway. Hordak watched the group from a safe distance. After a time, Scorpia appeared at his side, almost a hand-span taller than him in her heels.  
_”...Y’know, I know what it’s like to feel out of place, to not fit in. It’ll get better, just keep trying”_  
Hordak sighed as he tried to convey his feeling.  
_”I cannot change the past, Scorpia. Entrapta was...the light that led me from the darkness of Prime’s grip. Now I must work to make something of it”_  
_”Aw man, you really do love her dontcha? Well good for you!”_  
Hordak drained another glass and did not reply. Scorpia grinned as Perfuma joined them. She had been watching the Hordak carefully. The Horde had nearly destroyed Plumeria, and The Heart Blossom tree, but she had seen the power in She-Ra’s magic, in forgiveness and friendship. If Adora could see the good in this gaunt haunted alien-clone, she vowed to see it also. The process was made easier by his unwavering adoration for Princess Entrapta. A lull in the conversation - Wrong-Hordak stood at the main entrance, waving enthusiastically and bounded over with a gusto that made Hordak a little sick to his stomach.  
_”Brother! I hope you are doing well. It has been so long, you must visit us soon!”_  
Hordak groaned as his fellow clone embraced him. Entrapta and Mermista laughed as Wrong-Hordak winked over at them.  
_”Entrapta! It is so good to see you too”_  
He pulled Entrapta into the hug and Hordak swore, convinced he felt a rib pop. Nursing his side as he was finally released, he felt a pang of...something, watching Entrapta and his clone-brother chatting excitedly about progress in the settlement. _”He is in such good condition”_ he thought to himself. The feeling passed but left a bitter note in his mouth.  
Catra and Meelog sidled up next to Perfuma, looking to acquire a red rose for Adora, to surprise her. Hordak eavesdropped, one ear lowered in their direction, making a mental note of the practice which he had seen before but did not fully understand. The group spoke long into the night, the wine flowed and Hordak may have even allowed himself a small smile when Entrapta finally re-appeared at his side, casually holding him in a wrap of hair. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Carry Me *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hordak hiccuped, his face pressed against the cold tile of the Sanctum guest room.  
_“Oh Entrapta, it seems I’m unable to get up off the floor”_  
_”Come on Hordak, you have to sit up. I’ve calculated you may have had too much alcohol, based on your height and low body fat percentage. You should try and re-hydrate”_  
_”Oh yes, you’re absolutely correct.”_  
He laughed and flopped onto his back as she removed the final panel of his armour.  
_”You could. *hiccup* - carry me...?”_  
Entrapta sighed and obliged with a hair strand under his neck and another around the back of his knees. He was going to be sore in the morning and she had no idea how his species metabolised the by-products of alcohol - did he even have a liver? She would inquire tomorrow. There was still so much she didn’t know. She placed him carefully down on the bed and pulled the blanket over them both. The room was silent for a while, broken only by Hordak whispering.  
_”I do not believe this experiment will be successful. Your friends, they will never like me. And I do not blame them.”_  
_”Don’t worry Hordak, they will. It’ll just take them a while to get used to you. They didn’t like me at first either!”_  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The Day After The Night Before*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hordak held his head in his hands, groaning. Misery, abject misery. Flashbacks to the party - did he really show Scorpia his arm holes? No, that must’ve been a dream, it did not compute with reality. He wobbled to his feet and to the mirror. A trail of small pink flowers (the same shade as Entrapta’s eyes, he noticed now) still woven into his hair, placed there by Perfuma who had assured him _”...that peace would come, if only he would open the door.”_ He realised that Entrapta was not in the room, perhaps she had already left to get breakfast he thought. Another flashback appeared, one of himself, laying on the floor, asking Entrapta to carr… He collapsed back down on the bed to continue groaning into his palms for a while longer. Would he ever be free from apologising to her for his conduct? Looking at the pile of cybernetic armour plates on the floor, he sighed and went to find his lab partner without it.  
_”You alright, Hordak?”_  
Adora appeared, her hair loose around her shoulder. He shrugged in response.  
_”As well as can be expected, Adora.”_  
_”Need a hand?”_  
She smiled and offered her arm. Hordak stiffened at her offer and sneered.  
_”I do not require your assistance, Princess. I’m looking for Entrapta.”_  
She retracted her arm with a raised eyebrow and pointed to the main hall. He hobbled a little but held his back straight as he passed her - his pride was still a powerful brace.  
Meanwhile, Entrapta was in the main hall scrounging from the leftover party food, grabbing handfuls of muffins. Only some of them made it to her mouth - she slipped the rest into her tiny-food-pocket. She had been relieved to see Hordak interacting successfully. He did not speak much at first but later in the night she had seen Perfuma braid flowers through his navy hair and felt a flutter of satisfaction. Catra had been in fits of hysterical laughter at the sight of him, but anger did not seem to cross his mind - he had even managed a self-deprecating (if tipsy) smile. She remembered his previous emotional dysregulation very well. This was progress!  
_”Social Experiment Log 23: Successful second integration of Hordak amongst the Princesses. Hypothesis: Continued small interactions will lead to overall acceptance of Hordak and our relationship.”_  
She looked up from her recorder and saw Hordak slumped against the doorframe, arms crossed, smiling softly at her.  
_”Hey Hordak! Wow, I should really get around to building you that robot to help with your armour, huh?”_  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Scorpia has such a big heart, she would love Entrapdak. I also envisioned she would want the Black Garnet in a better location than the weird side-room its currently in  
> \- Wrong-Hordak is such an extrovert, he would love a party!  
> \- Drunk Hordak was such a funny mental image, I had to get it on paper


	5. Chapter 5: Ruin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group discusses interstellar travel and eager to get aboard, Entrapta and Hordak work on enhancing the ship.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Darla, Honey*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Darla positively beckoned to Entrapta from across the meadow. The ship had been in storage at Bright Moon for over a year, such a travesty! She sprinted to her and ran her hand across the smooth shining metal of her hull.  
_”Hi girl, did you miss me?”_  
She lifted the shining First One’s crystal in the air, the detail of the First One’s writing gleaming in the bright light.  
_”I’ve got a present for you”_  
She thought back to the hurried journey to Dryl she and Hordak had undertaken to retrieve it from the storage beneath the Crypto Castle.  
  
\----  
_”We’re home!”_  
_”I am glad we kept these materials from Beast Island, they will be invaluable to the improvements to the First One’s ship”_  
_”Yeah, Darla - she’s amazing! I can’t wait to fly in her again. These improvements are going to do wonders for her range.”_  
She waved a gloved hand. Hordak had looked forlorn at the grey and purple walls. Ever since he had heard about the mission to bring the magic back to the universe, he had carried an ache in his chest.  
_”What if...What if they do not trust me, Entrapta. What if I have to stay behind?”_  
_”Nah, that’s not a viable option Hordak. We’re not going to be separated again - I promise.”_  
Hordak nodded and turned back to the trackpad screen, navigating the maze of corridors until they reached the storage room. Together, in the gloomy room filled with reclaimed data cores piled high around them, they devised a system to integrate the chip with Darla’s thrusters using Entrapta’s schematic of the ship’s mainframe. This would allow them to sink additional power into the thruster with the same volume of the crystal fuel source, enabling them to travel further (or faster in a pinch). Entrapta held the plans aloft.  
_”Hordak, it’s **beautiful** ”_  
  
\---  
Entrapta grinned, opened one of Darla’s vents and slipped inside, keen to get to work turning their plan into a reality.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Interstellar*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
_”He has experience of space travel, he’s visited other worlds - he could be useful. Besides Sparkles, Entrapta said she won’t leave without him.”_  
Catra leaned back in her seat, tipping it precariously off the floor. The Best Friend Squad contemplated the idea. Bow thought back to how happy Entrapta had been when they had mentioned the mission to bring magic back to the universe.  
_”Well, she is fixing the ship, plus we promised her she could come.”_  
Adora nodded and replied.  
_”Hordak finished his service at Beast Island. The crew spoke pretty well of him. And he’s not been any trouble.”_  
The group agreed. The report from the captain may not have been studded with tales of hi-jinks and camaraderie but did not mention any issues. It said Hordak was a bit cold and aloof but next to Entrapta, a welcomed practical voice. Adora had a sudden realisation which she voiced in disbelief.  
_”Y’know, I’ve not seen him get angry this whole time”_  
Catra laughed and retorted.  
_”Are you sure She-Ra didn’t wipe his whole personality too?”_  
_”Well...I’m pretty sure...Plus, Entrapta said he’s not having nightmares anymore.”_  
_”Yeh, that last time was pretty scary. I mean, he’s not exactly a prize fighter, nothing like when She-Ra got infected with that virus”_  
Glimmer chuckled and Adora wiped her face with her hand.  
_“Agreed”_  
_”So...should we let him come along?”_  
_”Sure”_  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Scholarship *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
George and Lance were rummaging in the Bright Moon library, searching for a tome in the tall ladder-accessible shelves. Bow had invited them to visit from the Whispering Woods on the expectation that he would be jettisoning from the planet in the next few days, a frightful prospect. So they distracted themselves with a bit of work. Lance looked down at his husband with a wink.  
_"One library is simply not enough, George”_  
They were so engrossed in their task, they didn’t notice the dark outline of a figure sunk deeply into the armchair by the pane-glass window. The rustle of a turned page nearly knocked Lance from the perch. Hordak glanced up from his book at the two men.  
_"Have we met? Your faces look...familiar to me”_  
_"No, we’ve never met. But we know who you are. Lord Hordak.”_  
George said in an accusatory tone - he had lost so many friends in the war and here was the warlord responsible, just sitting in a library no less.  
_"I no longer use that title”_  
Hordak placed his book on the table, the golden embossed script “An Almanac of Etheria: Between Season & Magic” glinted in the cold light, and he stood to leave. George looked at the title in confusion and Lance raised a hand.  
_"Wait. We are Bow’s fathers, I am Lance and this is George.”_  
Hordak eyed them curiously. He was now permitted to walk Bright Moon unguarded during the day and mainly he found his way to the library whilst Entrapta was working as he could not fit in the cramped vents she used to traverse Darla. Besides, there was still a lot he did not know about Etheria and there was a lot of information buried in these airy, empty rooms. At least, empty until now.  
_”Hm. Yes, I see the resemblance - Bow has praised your scholarship. You were a soldier in the war?”_  
George nodded. Hordak searched his face, wondering if he knew it from some forsaken battlefield. He picked up the book again, weighing each word carefully as he stared at the cover.  
_”She-Ra saved us all in the end, even me. I want to understand Etheria. This is...my home now.”_  
George knew that what he felt inside was not forgiveness. It had been a long, terrible war and he had spent many years hating the Rebellion - but even more hating the Horde. Alas, he thought, a bridge is a bridge and a book is a book. In the name of good scholarship, he grabbed an armful of enormous tomes and piled them on the table.  
_”Personally, I would start with these…”_  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Trajectory *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Entrapta ratcheted open the vent as Hordak tapped at the control panel with an exasperated sigh. This was their fourth failed attempt at the firing sequence in the flower meadow - clearing a wide circle of scorched earth at the exhaust ports from the stationary position. He looked up and indicated on the screen to her.  
_”It looks like the chip interface has come loose, can you adjust it here?”_  
_”Yeh, give me a sec, I’ll get us back online. Fifth time’s the charm Hordak ”_  
Her bright smile and intrepid attitude had always melted his frustration, even before. Hordak handed the soldering iron up to her and turned back to the schematic. With her hair pulling her forward through the tight crawl spaces, Entrapta quickly closed the gap between her and the integration ports for Darla’s main thruster. The adjustment looked simple enough. She pulled out her soldering iron and leaned forward to begin reattachment. Just as she began...  
  
-BANG-  
  
A trail of flame licked like a whip across her face and the room filled with thick, chemical-tinged smoke. She back-peddled into the vent, racing the fire-ball behind her, frantic scrabbling to the nearest exit. She tumbled from the ceiling into the drive room and landed onto the floor with a scream and heavy thud, followed by the immediate flare of the fire that had pursued her - the world went black.  
Hordak had turned at the resonant boom and horrified, watched Entrapta drop like a stone from the ceiling. He rushed towards her, cradling her in his arms. The fire had burned her face and her left side, leaving a trail of red and angry welts, blisters and shiny skin. There was a smell of singed fabric, hair, and skin. He pressed his ear frantically against her chest - he could feel her breathing, her racing heart rate. She was alive, she was alive.  
_”Entrapta, I love you. I love you, wake up.”_  
Her eyes flickered open and she coughed violently from the smoke she had inhaled. In a raspy voice she replied.  
_”Affirmative, Hordak. I love you too...I told you my experiments mostly end in failure...”_  
She fell unconscious. He bolted with her in his arms from the ship and into the flowered meadow. She-Ra was closing the gap rapidly, the plume of smoke from Darla alerting them to trouble. Suddenly Glimmer was by his side, teleporting straight from the Moon Stone terrace.  
_”What happened! What did you DO”_  
In an instance, she brought She-Ra the rest of the distance. She gasped, Hordak pleaded.  
_”Help her, She-Ra. She is the only thing that matters.”_  
She-Ra reached out to take her but Hordak did not want to let her go. She-Ra lightly touched his arms and enveloped them both in a golden aura. It flared but receded to static, She-Ra shook her head and tried again but this time, nothing. Entrapta groaned and shifted in his arms. Hordak yelled in desperation.  
_”Why is it not working?”_  
_”I don’t know. Let me try again. She’s going to be okay, I promise”_  
Glimmer teleported them to a clean and tidy chamber, well-stocked with medical supplies stored in little cubby holes studded across the walls, before teleporting from the room, rage evident on her face. White linen wrapped the single bed in the centre of the room. Adora released She-Ra, deep concern on her face as she returned to her normal human form. Bow and Catra hesitated in the doorway, watching as Hordak gingerly placed Entrapta’s unconscious body on the bed. A frightened silence laid heavy on the room. Suddenly, Hordak roared and threw his fists against the wall, leaving two deep craters in the pale stone.  
_”Hordak, stop!”_  
His cybernetics hissed and crackled with each punch until a hydraulic motor snapped with a horrific crunch and his left arm fell uselessly to his side. Adora grabbed his right arm and pinned it, he roared, swiping with his broken arm. She twisted behind him, prepared to fight, but instead of retaliating, Hordak slid to the floor like a wounded animal.  
_”Entrapta...”_  
He whimpered. Adora placed a hand on his back, Bow looked on ashen-faced from the door, Glimmer and Catra argued in the hallway and Melog weaved between their legs, whining quietly.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Penultimate chapter!  
> \- Entrapta was adamant in the show at different points about her experiments always failing and blowing up, I thought it would be interesting to explore that a bit further.  
> \- the final scene is chaotic, imagine everybody shouting and no one really knows what happened, lots of confusion and fear after peace for so long. Lots of resurfacing feelings...


	6. Chapter 6: Restore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting with baited breath, Hordak stays by Entrapta's bedside whilst the others agonise over what to do

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Liar *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hordak did not sleep the first night and gripped the edge of Entrapta’s bed like a drowning man would a raft. She-Ra had stayed for hours, attempting to heal Entrapta but only a trickle of magic sparked and fizzed from her hands. Exasperated and unsure, Adora had left to think. Mistrust was infectious. Glimmer helped change the dressing on Entrapta’s shoulder. Hordak helped as much as he could with only one arm, the other lay useless against his chest in a make-shift sling - he had fractured the ulna and splinting had been difficult due to the gap in his forearm, it would take time to heal. They worked in relative silence until laying the Princess of Dryl back onto the bed, when Glimmer asked.  
_”What happened on the ship?”_  
Hordak narrowed his eyes.  
_“It was from Beast Island, the upgrade. There was a malfunction with the integration we designed, Entrapta was attempting a repair when....”_  
He moved a strand of hair from Entrapta’s face. Glimmer sighed angrily, resigned to the truth that she had suspected since Entrapta had offered to upgrade the ship, since she’d heard the explosion. She jabbed a finger at Hordak and strained her voice through her tears.  
_”You lied to us about Beast Island. Look what you did. She’s our friend.”_  
Glimmer teleported out of the room before he could reply leaving Hordak to stare at his fist marks in the wall in a silence only marked by Entrapta’s quiet breaths.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Clouded Judgement *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Glimmer sat at the head of the table in the war room in the early hours of the morning, her tone cold.  
_”I don’t trust him, how do we know he’s telling the truth? He already lied to our faces.”_  
Running her hands through her shoulder-length hair, Catra replied.  
_”You still think he would hurt Entrapta on purpose? Have you seen the way he looks at her? Entrapta told us he blasted Prime and threw him off a ledge **by the throat.** ”_  
Glimmer relented.  
_”Well...I guess. But what if it was sabotage?!”_  
It had been easier to accept Hordak’s presence when all he did was mope around the library but now she was finding the whole situation impossible, her feelings about the Horde and the war clouded her judgement. _”He is trouble!”_ Glimmer swore she could hear her mother’s voice in her mind. She knew Queen Angella would not have approved of Hordak or his relationship with the Princess of Dryl. Oh how she missed her mother, she grieved but it never went away, the wound always finding new ways to open. Bow scratched his head.  
_”Listen, we all have...complicated feelings about Hordak. But I don’t think this is his fault. It was just an accident.”_  
Adora sat and listened to the discussion go ‘round-and-’round, as she had done for hours, consumed by guilt at her inability to heal Entrapta, her own feelings about Hordak now inextricably linked to her and thus the war and Shadow Weaver and The Fright Zone. It was all too much. She rubbed her face with her palms and groaned. The group agreed to wait and watch and split off for the day.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Risk *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The sun climbed higher into the sky and Hordak pulled a chair next to the bed, close enough to hold Entrapta’s hand. He was tired and his broken arm ached fiercely. He cursed his temper. It had been a sight to see the bowed bone between the broken compression spring, panels and wires - what a fragile vessel he inhabited. Just as he tipped his head back, Bow appeared in the doorway, holding a book.  
_”Hey Hordak, my dads’ said to give you this? I didn’t even know that you had met them.”_  
The young archer raised a quizzical eyebrow.  
_”At the library. I have been studying Etheria and its magic. I thought it wise to do so before we left the planet. Their guidance was very useful on the matter.”_  
They both stared down at Entrapta, acutely aware of the distance between those happy plans and the reality they were facing. Bow fiddled with his Etherian Maker’s Guild badge.  
_”I...I don’t think this is your fault. This is what Entrapta does, she takes risks, sometimes things...go wrong.”_  
Hordak scoffed.  
_”Do not lecture me on the inherent dangers of the work, Etherian, I am well-versed.”_  
Bow rolled his eyes and turned to leave. As he crossed the threshold he paused when he heard Hordak say.  
_”...I only wish I had been there to protect her.”_  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Flowers *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The news of the accident travelled fast and Scorpia arrived with a bouquet of Plumeria flowers whilst the sun was setting, warm peach tones lighting the room. Hordak stood vigil at Entrapta’s bedside. Scorpia stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him and quietly murmured.  
_”That’s our Entrapta, always trying to outdo herself. She’s so smart and brave. Is...is she going to be okay?”_  
A few tears fell from Scorpia’s eyes. Hordak lay his good hand on her pincer and said.  
_”I do not know. She has sustained burns, a concussion. Adora was unable to command She-Ra’s healing ability. I am...worried.”_  
Scorpia suddenly embraced Hordak, who froze in shock. She squeezed his shoulders and through her tears, said.  
_”Everything’s gonna be okay. She’s lucky to have you.”_  
Scorpia was forced to travel back to the Fright Zone to attend a land dispute but she left the flowers behind with Perfuma’s well wishes. Hordak pulled a single pink carnation from the bunch, the colour of Entrapta’s eyes, and held the stem tightly in his fist. He looked self consciously at the empty doorway before placing it next to Entrapta’s hand and in a quiet, even voice, kneeling next to the bed, he pleaded.  
_”I have witnessed this Etherian custom, Entrapta, where people trade the reproductive shoots of plant life to signify…well I am not confident in my assessment - I could really use your perspective. Please, wake up.”_  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Not Afraid *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Each night, Melog wandered into the room, jumped up onto the bed and curled up at Entrapta’s feet, purring gently. Hordak did not know what to make of this strange creature, the last survivor of Krytis. The fabled First One colony. This sole inhabitant was all that was left of the magic that resisted all the might of Horde Prime. If magic had been Prime’s weakness, Hordak vowed to embrace it - he was not afraid. Holding out a clawed hand, Melog bristled, a pulse of red in its aura.  
_”I may be a clone but I am not Horde Prime. This is my life, my name is Hordak.”_  
The cat sniffed suspiciously, another small pulse of red ran through its mane. The stand-off did not last long as Melog pushed up against his hand with a low _”m-owrl”_ vibrating through his fingers. He sighed, talking aloud to the creature in the dead of the night.  
_”This is my fault, cat. I am not...good. I bring nothing but misery. I see it in every Etherian face. I do not belong here.”_  
Melog rattled the tip of its tail in disagreement and bumped his hand again.  
_”Hmph”_  
Hordak scratched Melog behind the ear distractedly as the animal put two paws on his chest and without another hand to balance, knocked him back into the chair. A sharp intake of breath as his arm hit his armoured chest. The creature clambered onto his lap and settled, pinning him to the seat with a defiant flick of its fur. Hordak weighed up the options in his mind and concluded, ceding.  
_”...Perhaps you have a point.”_  
He did not know what more he could do to gain the trust of Etheria but retreat was not an option. He lifted the book that George and Lance had sent from the bedside table, “Connextion Betwixt Luv & Magick”, and flicked absently through the pages. A note fell from the dust jacket.  
_”Hordak, the war is over, now we must pick up the pieces. You and Entrapta are welcome at The Library in the Whispering Woods when she recovers, we have much to show you about your new home. Best wishes, George & Lance”_  
Melog purred in his lap and Hordak held the note. Lost in thoughts of Entrapta waking up and what they would do next, the conversations, things he wanted to tell her; he drifted off to sleep in the chair, exhausted. From the doorway, the sound of retreating footsteps as Adora and Catra snuck away to meet the others with their conclusions.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* A Place Here *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Adora returned to Entrapta’s sick bed with Catra, Glimmer and Bow in tow after an impassioned discussion in the war room about all that they had witnessed. Their fears, the impact of the war, how much Hordak represented in their minds a past they wanted to forget. It had become crystal clear to Adora that she had a job to do. She was confident and determined, a golden aura filled the room as she transformed. She-Ra placed a hand each on Entrapta’s and Hordak’s arms. The doubts and fears that Adora had harboured were burned away, replaced by a surety and fierce love, the same she had felt so deeply on exiting the Heart of Etheria. It was this love that flowed and knitted every cell back together, healing Entrapta. She turned to Hordak.  
_”You have a place here with us. She never stopped searching for you after the portal, after Prime...Entrapta sees the good in you. I do too. ”_  
Barely above a whisper, he replied  
_”...Thank you.”_  
Suddenly, Entrapta opened her eyes, coughed fiercely and groaned. She struggled up onto one elbow, rubbing her head.  
_”Oh boy, that was a good one. Usually I have the robots take care of me after an experiment goes wrong, sorry everybody. Hordak? ”_  
His eyes brimmed with tears.  
_”Welcome back, Entrapta”_  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Epilogue: Happy *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Entrapta held her breath, examining her reflection in the mirror. Darla rattled beneath her and the stars zipped by in the porthole. Tipping back and forward on her tiptoes, lifting herself up to her full height on her hair, she mouthed the words again.  
_“Will you marry me, Hordak”_  
It sounded correct. She was ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Thank you for all the kudos and kind comments on the previous chapters, hope this one did not disappoint <3

**Author's Note:**

> \- Tried my best to think of how each part would be animated in the show, so each chapter will be made up of 5-7 seperate scene breaks  
> \- In-character dialogue is tough!  
> \- I definitely head-canon Hordak not being cured of his physical disabilities/issues after the finale - as that vulnerability is so integral to his character development in the show and relationship with Entrapta  
> \- Entrapta is my fave oblivious babe <3


End file.
